Police may attend a Lincolnshire Remembrance Day event – if their resources allow.

Lincolnshire Police has been criticised by the Royal British Legion in Grantham, who say they are being forced to look for volunteers to carry out essential safety work, such as directing traffic, at the event on November 12.

It comes after national media reported that parades across the country were under threat as forces struggled to commit to being able to send officers to the events.

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However, police officials say local policing teams do attend parades if they have the ability to make it, while stressing that police attendance is not a legal requirement.

But they have made no specific commitment to the Grantham parade.

A source said: "Officers from the local neighbourhood policing teams attend parades where they are able to, depending on other daily policing requirements.

"It is nothing new that event organisers need to apply to highways for road closures and police officers are not legally required to attend but do so where they can."

Chief constable Bill Skelly said: "Lincolnshire Police is immensely proud to support Remembrance Day parades, honouring those who fought for our country.

Police say they will do their best to attend a Remembrance Day parade at Grantham (Image: Anna Draper)

"In the last 18 months, we have been working closely with parade organisers and their members to develop their understanding of their roles and responsibilities in delivering Remembrance events that are both safe and lawful.

"I am delighted that so many have engaged with us and that many parades are now able to proceed with little or no impact on the other commitments that Lincolnshire Police have to provide daily policing."

Mr Skelly added that training would be given to support people who are organising parades for future events.

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He said: "One or two areas are still developing their ability to self-manage their events and I will be providing training opportunities early next year as additional support, particularly given the recent horrific acts of terrorism that have taken place in communities across the country.

"Remembrance Day will remain an important event in our policing calendar and I will continue to work with organisers to make these events as safe as possible.”

Members of the Grantham branch of the Royal British Legion have now vowed that their parade will still go ahead whether police can attend or not.

One of the organisers of the parade, Nobby Clark, said it ‘would be great’ if the local policing teams can be there on the day of the parade.

Remembrance Day Parade

People in the Grantham branch of the Royal British Legion said the parade will still go ahead - even if police aren't able to come.

One of the organisers of the parade, Nobby Clark, said: "I think it's a fantastic idea [to have the local policing team there], it's better than nothing.